Megan Anderson believes a shot at Amanda Nunes and the UFC women’s featherweight title will come eventually. That’s why she is focused solely on this Saturday when she faces an unbeaten fighter that is hoping to make a big statement.
Anderson will face Norma Dumont this Saturday at UFC on ESPN+ 27. The event takes place at the Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. and will be headlined by a fight for the vacant flyweight title between Joseph Benavidez and Deiveson Figueiredo.
The 30-year-old Anderson returned to the win column after picking up her first submission win in nearly five years against Zarah Fairn at UFC 243 in October. Dumont will make her UFC debut after winning her first four pro fights in her home country of Brazil.
At the end of the day, the other name on the contract didn’t matter all that much too Anderson.
“We didn’t know much about her,” Anderson told BJPENN.com. “I think it was at UFC Lincoln last year, I was there as a guest fighter and Mick [Maynard] had mentioned a couple of names of fighters that he had signed and that was one of them. I knew the name but I didn’t know much about her. The name didn’t matter much to us. We’re willing to fight anyone, put our head down and get to work.”
After winning four straight fights in the Invicta FC cage and getting signed by the UFC, Anderson has alternated wins and losses in the Octagon. Anderson dropped a unanimous decision against Holly Holm at UFC 225 before picking up a first-round TKO win over Cat Zingano six months later at UFC 232. The Glory MMA trained fighter would go on to lose via first round submission to Felicia Spencer before picking up an opening round submission win of her own to cap off 2019.
With Dumont being the UFC debutante, a win over a fighter with a large following like Anderson would be a massive coup. Because of the motivation Dumont will surely have, the motivation levels are at an all-time high for Anderson as well.
“I see it going down the same way [as my last fight],” Anderson told BJPENN.com. “There is not one second of a fight that my mentality is not to finish. I think that’s what makes me exciting. Even though there’s not a lot of women in our division, that’s why we stick around, because we put on exciting fights.
“On Saturday… I get coming into the UFC and making a statement. I love that,” Anderson said. “I love the intensity and I love the intensity that my opponent is gonna be bringing because I do have a name, I do have a following. I am one of the faces of this division and I love that. I want them to bring the best version of themselves because that’s going to bring the best out of me. I’m just excited to put my head down, throw some leather and put on an exciting performance.
“I’m for sure going to be looking for the finish.”
With the women’s 145-pound division in the UFC being quite shallow, a win on Saturday — especially if it’s an impressive performance — could put Megan Anderson in a position to fight Amanda Nunes for the featherweight title.
If that happens, Anderson will be all over it. If it doesn’t, she’s fine with that, too.
“Yeah, sure. But to be honest, I don’t really give a s**t,” Anderson explained. “If they want me to fight for the title if I get the win, of course [I will]. I’m still going to get paid, regardless. It’s gonna happen, and if that means after one more win, two more wins, I don’t f****n care. It’s gonna happen and it will when it’s supposed to happen.
“I’m just focused on Feb. 29 and showcasing why I am the face of the division, and that we should put more into this division.”
Do you think Megan Anderson will come out on top this weekend?
This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 2/24/2020.